Guittard

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About Guittard.

The oldest family-owned and operated company in the United States, Guittard Chocolate Company got its start in the 1850s, when Etienne Guittard came to San Francisco with hopes of striking it rich during the California Gold Rush. Recognizing that the locals would pay a premium for the French chocolate he brought with him, he returned to France to work in a chocolate factory until he could return to San Francisco with his own equipment. In 1868, he opened Guittard Chocolate on Sansome Street. The family business was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake, and then quickly rebuilt near the Embarcadero. In 1955, the factory was relocated to Burlingame where it remains today.

Today Gary Guittard, great-grandson to Etienne, is at the helm. Guittard works directly with growers, long before harvest, to assess the development of individual crops and oversee the fermentation and drying process of their beans. The elaborate process of turning cacao beans into Guittard chocolate has been handed down through generations, from drying the beans naturally in the sun, to French roasting, stone grinding and conching formulas that were developed by Etienne himself.

All Guittard chocolates use only all-natural ingredients, such as pure cane sugar, real vanilla and fresh milk. They are free of any genetically modified ingredients. All are kosher certified by the Orthodox Union, and produced on traditional European equipment to ensure quality and consistency.

Available in disks, E. Guittard chocolates are easy to measure, melt quickly and smoothly, and are simple to store.